The exec served as senior VP of ads and commerce at Google

Google has named a top executive from its advertising business to become the new chief executive of its YouTube service.

The appointment of Susan Wojcicki, one of Google's first employees, shows the Internet company is not afraid to make big moves to spruce up YouTube and perhaps boost the ad return it gets from the site. Wojcicki has served as Google's senior vice president of ads and commerce, helping to grow the company's core search ad business.

YouTube's current chief executive is Salar Kamangar. Google CEO Larry Page confirmed the move in a statement Wednesday. "Salar and the whole YouTube team have built something amazing. Like Salar, Susan has a healthy disregard for the impossible and is excited about improving YouTube in ways that people will love," he said.

Google declined to comment further or say what changes might be in store under Wojcicki. It also did not say what Kamangar's new role would be, though a report in Re/code said he would stay at Google to work on early stage projects.

Through its "Partners" program, YouTube provides a way for people to monetize their YouTube videos through advertising. But the site has been criticized by some video makers as a difficult place to make money, partly due to the cut YouTube takes from advertising.

Google bought YouTube in 2006 for about US$1.6 billion, one of its largest acquisitions at that time.